Monday – Frankfurter Supper
Tuesday – Pea Risotto
Wednesday – Meatballs, Pasta & Tomato Sauce
Thursday – Chicken Curry & Homemade Naan Bread
Friday – OUT
Saturday – Fish Cakes & Lovely Carrots
Sunday – Leftovers Pizza!

Monday – Tuna & Mushroom Pizza, Spanish Pizza
Tuesday – Spicy Turkey Wraps
Wednesday – Risotto (not sure what kind yet – need to go to the Farmer’s Shop!)
Thursday – Tomato Soup with Croutons, Plum Dumplings for dessert
Friday – Out for Chinese Buffet!
Saturday – Fabulous Meatballs (alt. mini-burgers for R.) with Pasta and Tomato Sauce
Sunday – BBQ mixed sausages, salads, breads

My parents and oldest niece are visiting from Thursday to Sunday, so baking will be at their request

Friday – Jacket Potatoes with Tuna & Sweetcorn, Cheese
Saturday – Beef, Pepper & Onion Fajitas with Guacamole, Kidney Beans & Sweetcorn, Shredded Lettuce and Sour Cream
Sunday – Out for dinner (BBQ)
Monday – Out for dinner again!
Tuesday – Warm Mixed Sausage & New Potato Salad with Course Grain Mustard Dressing
Wednesday – Lentils with Spätzle & Frankfurters
Thursday – Käsespätzle (Swabian Macaroni Cheese!)
Friday – Spinach, Gorgonzola and Pinenut Lasagne
Saturday – Chicken and Vegetable Curry with homemade Naan Bread and Lentils

Saturday - Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry with homemade Naan bread, various pickles
Sunday – leftover Curry
Monday – Spinach and Cheese Gnocchi
Tuesday – Mushroom Risotto (carry-over from last week as we had a BBQ at the last minute!)
Wednesday – Turkey and Aubergine Schnitzels with Colconan Mashed Potato
Thursday – Fish and Pasta Bake
Friday – Subs!

Baking – Fruit Buns, Apple Crumble

I have a load of new recipes – with photos! – to post, so I’ll try and do that as I go along this week.

So, this means that my menu plan goes from Saturday to Friday at the moment, although this may change to Friday to Thursday at some point. Or even go back to the standard Monday to Sunday!

Menu for Week 32
2nd – 8th August

Saturday – Tuna and Mushroom Pizza, Spanish Pizza
Sunday – Roast Salmon Fillets, New Potatoes, Lovely Carrots, Tomato & Red Onion Salad, Dessert: Fruit Trifle
Monday - Homemade Käsespäztle (Swabian Macaronni Cheese!) with Krautsalat (Cabbage Salad)
Tuesday – Vegetable Frittata
Wednesday – Mushroom Risotto
Thursday – Chinese Stir-Fry with Beef, Tofu and Vegetables, served with Noodles
Friday – Spicy Mince Wraps’

Baking This Week: Fruit Buns

Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients (for 2 adults and 1 child)

• 250g risotto rice eg aborio
• 1/2 litre good quality vegetable stock
• 1/2 glass white wine (optional)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• large handful of mushrooms, chopped (you can use any mushrooms, or a mix of different kinds, or a combination of dried and fresh, but remember to soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for a bit beforehand)
• 1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs
• handful of grated cheese eg parmesan, pecorino, cheddar, bergkäse – anything that melts well will work
• butter

Method

1. Melt the butter in a casserole dish or similar, then fry the onions until starting to soften.
2. Add the mushrooms and herbs and fry for a few minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the mixture in the dish. You should be on a medium low heat.
4. Add the wine, stirring all the time.
5. When the wine has been absorbed, start adding the stock about a small cupful at a time, stirring gently (you don’t have to do it non-stop, but don’t go off and leave it either). Wait until the liquid has been more or less absorbed by the rice before adding more.
6. This whole process will take something like 20 mins. Once you’ve used up the liquid, taste the rice to see if it’s done. It needs to be soft and sticky, but not falling apart – it should still have a bit of a bite. If it’s not done yet, add some more liquid until it is.
7. Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Taste to see if you need any salt or pepper, then serve.

Variations

• fresh pea and bacon risotto – fry the bacon, then add the rice and proceed as from #3 above. Add the peas about 5 mins before the end so they don’t overcook
• green bean and brocolli
• pumpkin or butternut – haven’t tried this yet, but as soon as they’re in season I will be!

Monday – BBQ Koftas with Langoshi (Hungarian Flatbread) and Cucumber Jogurt Salad
Tuesday – Warm Chicken Cesar Salad in Wraps
Wednesday
(lunch) : – Smoked Haddock, Watercress and Leek Tart
               – Fruit Salad with Homemade Shortbread Fingers
(dinner)
               – leftover Tart, pancakes
Thursday – Homemade Oven-baked Indian Samosas with Onion & Pepper Salad
Friday – Fusilli Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes, Garlic and Pecorino

Baking: Shortbread Fingers, Fruit Buns

The weather is so uncertain here at the moment, it doesn’t feel at all like summer, so the menu this week reflects that – there’s a lot more warm, comfort foods than I’d normally be wanting in July!

Monday -       Homemade Pizzas “Spanish” and “Vegetarian”
Tuesday -      Mixed Sausage and New Potato Warm Salad with Runner Beans
Wednesday – Mini Maultaschen (filled pasta) with Quick Sauce (dad’s night out!)
Thursday -    Tuna, Chickpea and Feta Pasta Salad
Friday -          Fresh Pea and Bacon Risotto

Baking This Week: soft rolls, apple and blackberry crumble

Ingredients

• 250g short-grain or pudding rice
• 1l full-fat milk
• sugar to taste (I think I used a couple of tbsp)
• single cream (optional)
• a few drops of vanilla essence

Method

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the rice, milk, sugar and vanilla essence to boil, stirring occasionally to stop the rice sticking or clumping.
2. When boiling, reduce the heat down to a minimum, put the lid on and leave for about 20mins, checking every now and again to give a stir.
3. After 20 mins, taste to see if the rice is cooked. If not, leave for a bit longer, otherwise remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Once cool, you can mix in some cream (or milk, if you prefer) until you have the consistency you want ie thick and sticky ,or quite thin and runny (this makes it sound rather unpleasant, but actually it’s gorgeous!).
5. Serve with sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top!

This is my version of Medenjaki, which makes no claims as to authenticity, but is rather delicious anyway!

Ingredients

• 150g butter, at room temp
• 100g icing sugar
• 2 eggs
• 500g plain white flour
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 3-5 tbsp clear honey
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 185°C and line a tray with baking paper.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add to the butter and sugar, together with the eggs and honey. The amount of honey you will need depends on how sweet it is – taste it and see if you want more!
4. Mix until it forms a stiff dough-like paste.
5. Take about a tablespoon of the dough and form quickly into a smooth ball in your hands. Flatten it between your palms and place on the baking tray.
6. Continue until you have used up all the dough – this amount makes between 25 – 30 biscuits, depending on size.
7. Bake for 7 -10 minutes until lightly coloured on the outside. They may still be a bit soft inside, but they harden up slightly as they cool.
8. These keep very well for a few days, kept in a tin.